


Perfect Gift

by CitybytheBayside



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Christmas Fluff, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 15:49:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13126872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CitybytheBayside/pseuds/CitybytheBayside
Summary: Eren struggles to find his best friend Mikasa the best possible gift for the holiday.





	Perfect Gift

"Eren you're really stressing out needlessly over this." Armin said to his best friend as they strolled through the mall.

"No I don't think I'm stressing enough. I need to get something perfect."

It was five days before Christmas. Leave it to Eren to wait near enough last minute to shop.

"It doesn't need to be perfect. Mikasa just about loves everything you get her each year. You should've came with me a week and a half ago when I did mine. I'm all set with gifts for you and Mikasa, Krista and our soon to be born daughter."

"Just come on, the stores are gonna...close." Eren said, realizing that the mall was now closing up for the night. The store he was gunning for just pulled its security gate down.

"I told-"

"Yep. Yep. Let's just go." Eren interrupted defeatedly, turning back around to the exit.

"Why is this year so important anyway?" Armin asked as they drove. Eren just shrugged.

"I don't know, it's just we're in our 20s now and I just think maybe I should get her something more meaningful."

"You say that as if everything you've ever given her hasn't been meaningful to her. She still has everything you gave her over the years. Even that video game you last minute bought for her is still in her collection."

Eren snorted a little. "Really? I don't even remember what the game was about."

"Doubt she does either. But you gave it to her, so it means a lot to her."

Eren kept his attention to the road. Did she really have such a high regard for his gifts? Maybe she's just overly sentimental over everything. Surely it's just happenstance she still has that old game.

* * *

 

Eren lay awake later that night, thinking of things she'd might like.

There was those blue feather earrings she was looking at he thought to himself. Oh wait, got her those for her 22nd birthday this year.

Maybe something in way of warm clothing for the winter he then thought before realizing he gave her a red winter jacket and white woollen handwarmer the previous Christmas.

Eren sighed, rolling off his bed and going to his laptop. He opened his webchat and called Mikasa.

She answered a few seconds later. Fortunately it appeared he didn't wake her up or anything.

"Hey Mika." Eren greeted.

"Hey Eren." she replied. He noticed her start fiddling with the ends of the red scarf that seemed to have permanently glued itself around her neck since he gave it to her god knows how many years ago now.

"What'd you get up to today?" he asked.

"Filled in for Sasha today at work. After that came home and watched tv with Caterpillar."

Caterpillar was a cat she and Eren found as a kitten during senior high. He gave him to her to take care of, as Eren wasn't very good at taking care of pets.

"How's Caterpillar doing?"

Mikasa looked to her left and reached down to pick up the furry Himalayan cat and make him visible onscreen.

"I'm doing good." she said in a fake voice to make it seem the cat was talking. Eren shook his head laughing.

"God you're corny."

Mikasa laughed her sweet laugh as she set the cat down. "Like you don't do the same thing. But what's up anyway? Something wrong?"

The sudden shift from playfulness to sounding worried was something Eren found himself marvelling at a lot.

"I'm fine, if that's what you mean. Just tearing my hair out finishing up Christmas shopping."

"You're still buying? I had my shopping done a week ago."

"Yeah but you're the most organized and precise I know. Well, besides Armin. And Bertolt. Marco- okay you're one of the most organized and precise people I know. Its no surprise you can be so easy at finding good things for people. Not so much something I'm good at."

"Who else do you have to buy for?"

"Well, to be honest I got everyone but you bought for. I've spend these past few weeks trying to find something great for you."

"Oh Eren you don't have to go to all that trouble. I'll like anything you get me."

"I've been told. You seriously still have that video game I got you when we were 12?"

"Outer Space Put Put? Yeah. It's honestly a fun game for a rainy day."

Eren laughed again. "You know it's just, I want to get you something meaningful."

Mikasa began twiddling with the scarf again. "You always given me meaningful gifts. I'm grateful for everything. Especially this."

Eren nodded. That scarf was a pretty strong indicator of their bond. They weren't best friends prior to the age of nine, only classmates and neighbours. On a school trip Mikasa fell into the rushing river. Eren dove in to save her but they wound up floating far away from their classmates and got lost. They had to stay in the woods for the night and Eren gave her his scarf for warmth. They were inseparable after that night and she wore that scarf ever since.

Mikasa yawned slightly. "Listen Eren I gotta get to bed. But just don't worry too much about what you get me, ok?"

Eren nodded. "Ok, Mika. Good night."

She smiled. "Good night."

Her window closed out. Eren leaned back in his chair, sighing a bit.

* * *

 

He found himself back at the mall two days later, with only three days until Christmas.

"She's too old for toys, and Mom's already gotten her some perfume." Eren said to himself as he milled around store to store, desperately trying to find the perfect gift. After several hours he stood in a department store looking between a new red helmet for her motorized scooter or a book. “She is studying to be a nutritionist so maybe there’s something to work with there.”

He wandered up and down each aisle of the health department but still nothing stood out. He groaned loudly.

"Last minute shopping?"

Eren turned around to see Petra Ral. She was Levi's wife and Mikasa's sister in-law.

"Petra, hey. What brings you here?"

"Doing some last minute shopping myself. Thought maybe that I could get Levi that tea set he had his eye on."

"I'm trying to get something for Mikasa. Something decent."

"Ah yes. Shopping for a person you like is always tricky."

She smirked as he turned deep red. "W-w-what do you-"

Petra giggled. "Eren, you are a wee bit obvious. You love her. More than a friend."

"Come on, I don't have a crush. That's very high school."

"Yes, crushes are. But we've been out of school for awhile now. Alots changed since then. Look at your friends. Jean-"

"Friend is a bit strong a word in regards to Jean." Eren interjected.

"Even still. Jean just got married to Hitch. Reiner and Annie just had their first child. Even your best friend Armin is expecting a child soon with Krista. Levi and I have been married three years with two children. You're not getting any younger Eren. Why not be happy with the girl who makes you happy?"

Eren looked to the ground. "I just...I figured...I was scared if we ever dated, and if we ever fell out then we wouldn't be friends anymore. And I didn't wanna lose her."

Petra took him by the hand. "You won't lose her. She's stayed with you since childhood. If she could withstand you then she can withstand you now. Be bold. And stop wasting time."

Eren smiled. The girl had always been like a sister to him, and her advice was something he valued. "Thanks Petra."

She nodding, placing a kiss on his cheek. "Come on, I'll help you look around."

* * *

 

Their search wasn’t effective so Eren was still empty handed, and it was now Christmas Eve. Jean and Hitch were hosting a party at their new house, and Eren found himself not wanting to go. He felt too badly.

But he went anyway, carpooling with Armin and the pregnant Krista.

“You look sad, Eren. What’s the matter?” Krista asked.

“He didn’t find a good enough gift for Mikasa in time.” Armin answered, turning onto Jean’s street.

“Eren, she really doesn’t-“

“I know, I just...I really wanted to.” Eren interjected.

They pulled into the driveway.

“I’ll be in shortly.” Eren said. Armin and Krista looked at one another.

“Alright Eren.” Armin said. He got out of the car and went to Krista’s side to help her out. They were gone within a moment, leaving Eren alone. He exited a few minutes later, standing in the driveway looking into the living room window.

All their friends were inside. Armin and Krista already having a funny conversation it seemed with Jean and Hitch. Reiner and Annie were seated and talking to Bertolt. He spotted Mikasa near the tree, admiring it with Ymir.

Eren sighed. He didn’t want to go in with nothing for her. He began walking away, heading for a park he saw at the top of the street. He didn’t see Mikasa look outside and see him walking away.

 _Great way to show you care about her you asshole_ he thought to himself, walking into the park. It was charmingly decorates for the holiday. A bench became visible and Eren toward it. Sitting down he sighed once more, sticking his hands into his pockets for warmth and closing his eyes.

“She can find something for you easy but you can’t for her? Idiot.” he muttered to himself. It began softly snowing

“Eren?”

His eyes shot open. Looking to his right, Mikasa was walking toward him. The red jacket and white wool handwarmer he got her were on.

“Eren what are you doing out here? It’s cold out.”

She sat down next to him, worrying eyes looking at him. He looked down to the ground.

“I couldn’t bring myself to go inside. I..didn’t get you a gift. I just couldn’t find anything perfect.”

“Eren, I told you. You didn’t have to make such a fuss.”

“It just meant a lot to me to find you something really special. Something more than just some outer space golf game.”

Mikasa smiled. “Eren, at the end of the day it’s just a material thing. What counts is the thought behind it. And honestly if you didn’t get me anything I wouldn’t care. Just so long as I got to spend Christmas with you.”

He turned his gaze to her. “Yeah?”

Resting her head against his shoulder, she nodded. “Yeah. Having you around is a better gift than anything.”

“Even when I’m being an ass?”

“Even if you’re being an ass.”

Eren smiled, patting her on the arm and looking up. He noticed on the end of the lightpost that shown above them a mistletoe hung.

“Oh...uh...Mikasa?” he said, gesturing for her to look up. She did. He noticed her eyes slightly widen for a moment.

“Oh.”

“We don’t have to if you don’t-“

“No. I wouldn’t mind if you wanted to.”

“Yeah?”

She smiled again. “Yeah.”

Slowly, he leaned forward and soon captured her lips with his. They kissed for a solid minute before parting, resting their foreheads against each other.

Her smile intact, Mikasa pecked him on the nose.

“If you feel the need to make it up to me, maybe you’d consider being my date for New Years?”

“Definitely.”

She flicked her gaze down and back up quickly.

“And maybe Valentine’s Day too?”

“How about you be my date for everything for the foreseeable future?”

She kissed him once more. “I’d love that.”

He reached his hand up and ran his fingers through her hair. “Then let’s get back to the party.”

They rose from the bench, connecting their hands together. When they returned to the house and knocked on the door, it was Armin who answered. He looked and saw their hands.

“It’s about time.” he said, letting them in. They kept mostly to themselves on the sofa, talking to their friends who were congratulating them on becoming a couple. The clock chimed to indicate it was midnight, and thus Christmas Day.

Eren looked at Mikasa, who looked at him.

“Merry Christmas, Mika.”

“Merry Christmas, Eren.”

He kissed her on the cheek as she cozied up next to him, hugging onto him.

For Eren, this stood as the best Christmas he ever had.


End file.
